The Foyer

1, St Patrick wasn't Irish - He was actually born in Roman Britain and was kidnapped by Irish raiders at the age of 16 before later returning as a missionary.

2, His real name wasn't Patrick - His birth name was Maewyn Succat, but he changed it to Patricius after becoming a priest.

3, St Patrick didn't drive snakes out of Ireland - The legend says he banished all snakes, but in reality, Ireland never had any snakes due to its cold climate.

4, The Shamrock connection - St Patrick is said to have used the three leaf clover (shamrock) to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity to the Irish people.

5, Blue was the original colour - St Patrick was historically associated with blue, but green became the symbol of Ireland over time due to its lush landscape and the shamrock connection.

6, Chicago dyes its river green - Every year since 1962, Chicago dyes the river bright green for St Patricks Day using a special dye.

7, It used to be a dry holiday - until the 1970's, Irish pubs were legally closed on St Patricks day because it was considered a religious holiday. That changed when it became a more commercial celebration.

8, The world's first St Patrick's Day parade wasn't in Ireland - The first parade actually took place in New York in 1762.

9, Corned beef and cabbage isn't a traditional Irish dish - It became popular with Irish immigrants in America because corned beef was more affordable than traditional bacon.

10, Millions of pints of Guinness are consumed - On St Patricks day it is estimated that 13 million pints of Guinness are consumed worldwide, nearly double the usual daily amount!

We are excited to invite everyone to our next cooking activity on Thursday 13th March, where we will be making a delicious frittata!

This session is a great opportunity to learn basic cooking skills, experiment with fresh ingredients, and enjoy a fun, hands-on experience. With support from the team, you can prepare your own frittata, choosing from a variety of vegetables, cheese, and seasonings to create a meal you will love.

Cooking pancakes together was a great team effort. While some of us mixed the batter, others prepared the pans ad set up a topping station. Once the batter was ready, we took turns pouring it into the pan and carefully flipping the pancakes until they were golden and fluffy. The kitchen was filled with laughter as we perfected our flipping skills and experimented with different toppings like syrup, fruit and chocolate spread. By the end, we had a delicious stack of pancakes to share, making the experience both fun and rewarding.

Cooking chicken fajitas as a group was a fun and rewarding experience. We started by preparing the ingredients, with some of us slicing the chicken while others chopped the peppers. After seasoning the chicken with a mix of fajita spices, we cooked it in a hot pan until golden, then added the vegetables to soften and char slightly. Once everything was cooked, we filled warm tortillas with the sizzling mixture and added toppings. Working together made the process enjoyable, and then end result was a delicious meal we all shared.

Baking cupcakes and cookies together was fun and enjoyable. We worked together, measuring ingredients, mixing the batter, and making sure everything was just right. There was plenty of laughter as we took turns stirring, with some flour and sugar ending up on the counter.

Once the cupcakes were in the oven and the cookies were baking, we couldn't resist licking the bowls - probably the best part of the process! The sweet, creamy batter was too tempting to waste.

After everything had cooled, we decorated the cupcakes with icing, sprinkles, and chocolate, making each one unique. The cookies didn't need much decoration, but that didn't stop us from adding extra chocolate chips top.

In the end, we had a delicious batch of treats and a great time baking together.

Join us weekly for baking delicious treats. Next event will be Pancake Day 4th March.

Get ready for a night of fun, creativity, and prizes! Join us for a Rio Carnival Mask making and Bingo night, where you can unleash your artistic side and test your luck.

Mask Making - Design and decorate your very own Rio-inspired carnival mask - glitter, feathers, and vibrant colours galore!

Bingo - After the crafting fun, settle in for a thrilling game of Brazil themed bingo!

Weather you are going for the crafts, the bingo, or just the great atmosphere, its an event not to be missed!

Flipping Delicious: Celebrate Pancake Day with the perfect pancakes.

Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday, is the perfect excuse to whip up a batch of delicious pancakes. Whether you like them thin and crispy or thick and fluffy, making pancakes is a fun and easy.

Delicious topping ideas

One of the best things about Pancake Day is getting creative with toppings. Here are some ideas to suit all tastes:

Classic & simple - Lemon juice and sugar or maple syrup.

Sweet & indulgent - Nutella and banana slices or fresh berries and whipped cream.

Healthy & Nutritious - Greek yogurt with honey and nuts or cinnamon and apple slices.

Savoury - Crispy bacon and maple syrup or cheese, ham and spinach.

No matter how you enjoy them, Pancake Day is all about having fun in the kitchen. So grab your ingredients, get flipping, and enjoy a stack of delicious homemade pancakes.

Movie nights are always a blast, and our Ghostbusters night was no exception! With slices of delicious pizza in hand and mugs of rich hot chocolate topped with marshmallows, we settled in for a night of laughter and nostalgia. Between the iconic theme song and perfect comfort food, it was a night to remember. Who you gonna call? The best movie night crew!

We got together to cook a variety of Chinese dishes, filling the kitchen with delicious aromas and festive energy. We decorated the space with vibrant red lanterns and lucky symbols to welcome good fortune. The combination of cooking and festive decorations created a warm and joyful atmosphere, making the celebration even more special.

(See picture album for more pictures)

In December, a 6-week cooking course was held, with Margret generously sharing her cooking skills with everyone at the Foyer.

Here at The Foyer we’re really excited about organising more activities like this in the future!